Ink-fountain for ruling-machines



- (No Model.)

R. N. B. PETERSEN. INK FOUNTAIN FOR RULING MAGHINES.

No. 519,025. Patented May 1, 1894.

U rTsD STATES.

PATENT @FFIQE.

RICHARD N. B. PETERSEN, OF VIN'TON, IOWA.

INK-FOUNTAIN FOR RULlNG-MACHINES.,'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,025, dated May 1, 1894.

Applicati n fil September 22,1893. Serial No. 486.202- (No model.)

ToaZZ whom it may concerrt:

Be it known that I, RICHARD N. B. PETER- SEN, a subject of the King of Denmark, re-

' siding at Vinton, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ink-Fountains for Ruling-Machines; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to obviate much of the labor and inconvenience incident to the operation of a ruling machine, bypro viding it with means for automatically supplyingink to the pens.

The invention consists essentially in providing one or more fountains for the pens, so constructed as to supply them with the requisite amount of ink from minute openings in the bottom, the holes being so small as to retain the ink exceptwhen brought into con.- tact with the surface of the pens, or the like.

It further consists in means for regulating the flow of ink, and other details of construction, which will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal section of the fountain. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same, in the line a b.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The common method of supplying ink to the pens of a ruling-machine is to saturate, by means of a brush dipped in ink, a strip of flannelpr felt placed on the pen-clamp and overlapping the upper part of the pens. This is an operation requiring careful attention, since the supply is soon exhausted. It has its disagreeable features,also, as the operator in setting up his machine for work is obliged to handle these ink-saturated strips more or less, so that his hands are deeply stained with ink. To obviate these objections to the com.- mon method of ruling I have devised the-apparatus hereinafter described.

Referring now to the drawings, A is the pen-clamp of an ordinary ruling-machine, provided with the supplemental clamp B for extension pens. C is the gripper used in connection with extension pens, andE is a short card of pens. All of these parts are of common and well known construction, and need not be described.

F is an ink-fountain adapted to be mounted so as to rest on the inclined plate forming the head of the pens, and discharge thereona limited quantity of ink. This fountain is composed of two parts, an outer vessel F,'triangular in cross-section, and an inner one F I quite similar to it in form, but truncated at the bottom. In practice I form alittle curve f near the lower angle of the outer vessel, thus enlarging this part of it a little. In this angle I place a small strip of felt f, to prevent excessive or erratic flow of ink, and render it steady and uniform. The angle of the trough is perforated by a series of minute holes a a. a, so small that the ink does not escape from them until the angle is brought into contact with a damp or attractive surface.- The ink-holding vessel or trough F is also perforated at the bottom with holes 6 e, which may be, and preferably are, considerably, larger than those in the outer one. To regulate the flow of ink through these holesI provide the fountain with a valve G. This consists of a small bar of metal gsurrounded, or at least faced on the upper side, by rubber packing g. In flanges f f are mounted two screws H H, having grooves h h near the lower end engaging with suitable forks c o in the ends of the bar g. By turning these thumb-screws a very nice and accurate adjustment of the valve is obtained, and the flow of ink is thereby adjusted or stopped at will. From one side of the fountain extends a flange F" for connection with the gripper O. This flange may be a part of the inner receptacle, as in Fig. 1, in which case the'inner and outer vessels are permanently con nected together, as by soldering; orit may extend from the outer vessel, as in Fig. 3. In this case the parts need not necessarily be connected. The fountain should be made of too It is to be understood that a considerable number of these fountains will be required to supply diiferent groups of pens, and with difierent colors of ink. The length of the fountains may be made such as convenience suggests, though extreme length is not necessary, as a row of shorter fountains may supply a wide pen-space as well as a single long fountain.

The device, as will be seen, is simple in construction, and only requires suitable adjustment and attention to cleanliness to be entirely automatic. Much of the attention of the operator may thus be dispensed with, and he be at liberty to attend to other matters or to another machine; The necessity for staining the fingers is also entirely removed, as in the mounting of the pens and fountains, and the operation of the ruling machine the hands need not be brought into contact with the ink at all.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. An ink-fountain for ruling machines having an inner vessel to hold the ink, perforated at the bottom, and provided with suitable means for regulating the flow of ink through the perforations, and an outer vessel with minute perforations in the bottom, adapted to retain the ink when detached from the pens, but permitting the flow thereof when in contact with said pens, substantially as described.

2. In an ink-fountain for ruling machines,

the combination of an inner, ink-holding ves- 3. In an ink-fountain for ruling machines,

the combination of the vessel F having minute perforations at the bottom, and provided with the felt strip f, the inner vessel F perforated at the bottom, the valve G and ad justing screws H H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an ink-fountain for ruling machines, the combination of the vessel F having minute perforations at the bottom, and provided witlrthe felt strip f, the ink-holding vessel F perforated atthe bottom, the valve G, adjusting screws H H, and flange F'", substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD N. B. PETERSEN. 

